Exemplary teachers Congratulations on your unique cover story ‘30 Eduleaders Weathering Covid Tsunami’ (EW August). It was comforting to read about several principals’ creative responses to the pandemic disruption of education and the world’s longest schools lockdown. In particular, it was distressing to learn about Ganesh Prasad, the dedicated principal of the government-aided Sadguru High School in a remote tribal hamlet of Karnataka deprived of Internet connectivity, who along with seven teachers is obliged to trek 10 km through hilly forest terrain to reach education to children. I hope the Karnataka government will provide additional support to these exemplary teachers for their commitment to their students. Shalini S. Mysuru Gratitude debt Thank you for highlighting and recognising the selfless work being done by numerous teachers and principals to continue children’s education through the pandemic lockdown (EW August cover story). While the country’s politicians are busy making empty promises, it’s school promoters, principals and teachers who have gone out of their way to ensure that children continue their education. The nation owes teachers a great debt of gratitude for the efforts they are making to reach education to children, especially in the rural hinterland. Tracy D’Souza Goa Justified reduction I fully endorse the decision of the Maharashtra government to impose a fees reduction by 15 percent for the new academic year 2021-22 on all private schools in the state (Education News, EW August). I am amazed to learn that private school managements are raising objections to this proposal. The pandemic lockdown of business, industry and trade has resulted in widespread economic distress and most parents have lost jobs and incomes. It’s shocking that instead of providing parents financial support and concessions, school managements are trying to profit even during a pandemic. With schools shut for 16 months and counting, private schools have made substantial savings under many heads of expenditure. Sunil Nivane Mumbai Huge mistake I am a regular reader of EducationWorld. Your candid interview (EW August) with eminent historian-biographer Ramachandra Guha was insightful. His erudite answers about the contributions of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel to India’s freedom movement were very informative. In a country that eulogised Nehru for the most part of its independent years, Dr. Guha rightly points out that his biggest failure was to neglect primary education. The first priority of free India should have been to wipe out illiteracy and provide quality primary education for all. Instead, he focused his attention on higher education and building elite IITs to educate a handful of privileged students. We are to this day paying for his huge mistake. Pallavi K. Bengaluru Misleading & biased We have been informed of Techno India University, West Bengal’s #6 rank only after the publication of the EW India Higher Education Rankings 2021-22 (EW June). No one from EducationWorld has till date approached us for any primary institutional data. Although it was a commendable effort to publish the EW India Higher Education Rankings 2021-22, it falls short of current relevance. The parameters…
